Pipe-coupling.



No. 784,625. Patentad Nov. 25, I902..

- C. VANDALL.

, PIPECOUPLING;

(Application filed May .15, 1902.)

(No Model.

NITED STATES .ATENT FFICE.

CLEOPHAS VANDALL, OF EVELETH, MINNESOTA.

PIPE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 714,625, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed May 15, 1902. serial No. 107,518. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLEOPHAS VANDALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eveleth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pump Connections; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the the said supporting or lifting plate.

It also consists in certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of my improved pumpcoupling. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the inside of the flange carried by the lifting or supporting plate of the mechanism. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the coupling secured toasuction-pipe. Fig. lis a perspective view of the thimble or connection with the sleeve or lock-nut thereon.

This invention is designed to produce a coupling which will be quick-acting and make itpossible to disconnect the parts of piping quickly and place the same together again in a short space of time where the saving of time in such operations is of importance. The mechanism is especially useful in the operation of pumps in the shafts of mines, especially where blasting is continually resorted to in the sinking of such shafts. If the suction-pipe of thepump employed in such a shaft is not hoisted out of the way, the blasting carried on withinthe shaft is apt to cause the destruction of the suction-pipe. It has been found necessary, therefore, to hoistthe suction-pipe out of the shaft temporarily during the blasting operation. In using couplings which have been generally employed for such purposes a great deal of time is lost in connecting and disconnecting the suctionpipe of the pump when the said pipe is hoisted from the shaft. 1

The improved coupling forming the subjectmatter of this invention is providedwith a supporting and hoisting back plate 1, which is preferably formed with an eye 2, which may be secured to any suitable hoisting-tackle for raising and lowering the plate.

The supporting or hoisting plate 1 is preferably thickened upon one .face at the center and around the bolt-holes formed therein to give the same sufficient strength and depth at these points. This is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, as at 3. The central portion of the plate is apertured at 4, the said aperture being threaded and adapted to receive the correspondingly-threaded end of a suction-pipe 5. Upon the face of the supporting-plate 1 opposite to the thickened reinforced side thereof is secured a flanged plate 6. This plate 6 is made approximately the shape of. a horseshoe or of an inverted U and is formed with an outwardly-projecting wall 7, carrying an inwardly-projecting comparatively deep flange 8. The flanged plate 6 is usually secured to the supporting-plate 1 by means of a series of bolts or screws 9, which engage the screw-threaded apertures in the plate 1. These parts may, however, if desired, be cast in a single piece, which will somewhat reduce its cost and make it possible to form the plate with somewhat smaller dimensions. The inner face of the flange 8 carries a semicircular plate or reinforced portion 10, which is formed upon its inner surface with a semicircular groove 11.

The portion of the mechanism thus far described is secured to and goes with the suction-pipe which is to be hoisted. The other portion of the couplingis made up ofa thimble or pipe connection 12, formed with a flange 13, which may be bolted to a suitable pump or pump connection, and is designed'to remain with the same, not being raised or hoisted with the suction-pipe. The cylindrical portion of the thimble 12 is screwthreaded for the greater portion of its length at 14 near its flanged end, while the other end is reduced in size, as at 15, and provided with threads 16 for a short distance upon the said reduced portion. A sleeve-nut or collar 17 ,provided with internally-arranged threads, is screwed upon the thimble 12, engaging the threads 14 thereof. After the sleeve-nut or collar 17 has been placed upon the thimble a cylindrical washer or plate 18 is screwed upon the threads 16 on the reduced end of the thimble, thus forming a flange on the end of said thimble. This flange 18 is adapted to fit snugly Within the flanged plate 6 and against the inner face of the hoisting-plate 1.

The collar or sleeve-nut 17 is formed with a flange 19, which is also of such a size as to fit within the flanged plate 6, the said flange 19 carrying an annular rib or projection 20, which is formed to fit snugly in the groove 11 of the plate 10. The exterior surface of the sleeve-nut 13 also carries a series of lugs, projections, or teeth 21, by which the said sleeve may be turned. Any suitable implement may be brought into engagement with these lugs or teeth for turning the said sleeve.

In using the device when the suction-pipe 5 is to be coupled with the pump the collar 17 is turned upon the threads 14: so as to be brought close to the flange 18. The hoistingplate is then lowered so that the flange 8 will inclose the flange 19 of the lock-nut 17 and the flange 18 of the thimble 12. As soon as the plate has been sufliciently lowered the lock-nut or sleeve 17 is rotated so as to bring its flange 19, with its annular rib 20, into ongagement with the flange 8. The rotation of this sleeve or lock-nut 17 is continued until the flange 18 of the thimble 12 is forced snugly against the inner face of the hoisting-plate 1. The end of the hollow thimble 12 is thus tightly clamped in position opposite the open end of the suction-pipe 5, and a tight joint is made ready for the pumping operation.

When it is necessary to blast in the shaft or other place where the suction-pipe is located, the sleeve-nut 17 is quickly loosened and unscrewed, so as to disconnect the rib 20 from the groove 11,when the hoisting-plate 1 is free to be lifted, and by means of anysuitable block and tackle or other hoisting apparatus the said plate is raised, carrying with it the suction-pipe 5. The suction-pipe may thus be raised or hoisted out of danger until the explosion and flying of rocks or other debris and other danger occasioned thereby to the suction-pipe is past, when the said plate 1 and suction-pipe may be again lowered and connected with the pump.

The mechanism will thus be seen to be not only of exceedingly simple construction, but of such a character as to be quickly manipulated for connecting and disconnecting the suction-pipe from a pump and hoisting or lowering the said pipe, as occasion may demand.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A pipe-coupling, comprising a supporting member, and a removable member, the supporting member being formed-with separable flanges, means carried thereby for expanding or contracting the flanges by separating or drawing them together so that the removable member will be tightly held in position upon the said supporting member, substantially as described.

2. A pipe-coupling, comprising a supporting member, and a removable member, the supporting member being formed with a separable portion, comprising two flanges, one of which is movable, means for moving one of said flanges with respect to the other for spreading them apart or drawing them together, the said flanges when spread apart tightly joining the members of the coupling, substantially as described.

3. A pipe-coupling, comprising a supporting member, and a removable member, a flange carried by the removable member of an inverted-U shape, the said flange being formed with a groove upon its inner surface, and a rib or annular projection formed on the supporting-section for engaging said groove and preventing the separating of the two members, substantially as described.

4. A quick-acting coupling for connecting and disconnecting suction-pipes from pumps, comprising a supporting plate, a flanged plate secured thereto, formed with an internally-arranged semicircular groove,a thimble secured to the pump and formed with a flange at its outer end, a lock-nut or sleeve threaded upon the said thimble and formed with a flange, and an annular rib on one face of the said flange adapted to coincide and fit into the semicircular groove in the flange of the plate carried by said supporting-plate, the said sleeve-nut when turned upon the thimble causing theflange of the thimble to be forced tightly against the supporting-plate, while the annular rib of said thimble by its engagement with the semicircular groove prevents the separation of the parts in a vertical plane, substantially as described.

5. A quick-acting coupling for the suctionpipe of a mining-pump, comprising a removable member carrying such a suction-pipe v made up of a plate having reinforced portions upon one face, the said reinforced portions being apertured and threaded to receive the end'of a suction-pipe, a flanged plate carried by the said first-mentioned plate and made in the form of an inverted U the pump member being made up of a hollow thimble formed with a flange at one end and a reduced portion at the other end, threads upon the said reduced portion, a flange screwed upon the same, external threads upon the main portion of the said thi mble, an internally-threaded lock-nut or sleeve engaging the same, a flange carried by said sleeve or nut, projecting lugs or teeth on said sleeve-nut for turning the same, the said sleeve-nut operating clamped therein, a sleeve or look nut carried by said thimble adapted to be moved longitudinally in one direction for moving the pipe ,.in the other for pressing the pipe against the supporting-plate, and means for preventing lateral disconnection of the parts, substantially as described. V

7. A quick-acting coupling for connecting and disconnecting suction-pipes from pumps comprising a supporting-plate, a flanged plate secured thereto, a thimble secured to the pump and formed with a flange at its outer end, a lock-nut or sleeve threaded upon said thimble and formed with a flange, the said sleeve-nut when turned upon the thimble causing the flange of the thimble to be forced tightly against the supporting-plate, and means for preventing the separation of the parts in a vertical plane, substantially as described.

8. A quick-acting coupling for connecting and disconnecting suction-pipes from. pumps comprising a supporting-plate, a flanged plate secured thereto formed with an internallyarranged groove, a thimble secured to the pump formed with a flange at its outer end, a lock-nut or sleeve threaded upon the said thimble and formed with a flange, and a rib on one face of said flange adapted to coincide and fit into the groove in the flange of the plate carried by said supporting-plate, the said sleeve-nut when turned upon the thimble causing the flange of the thimble to be forced tightly against the supporting-plate, the rib of said thimble by its engagement with the groove preventing separation of the parts, substantially as described;

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OLEOPHAS VANDALL.

Witnesses:

W. D. ELLSWORTH, J C. MCGILVERY. 

